Ultrastructure of lymphocystis virus

Lymphocystis virus obtained from bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) was cultured in the permanent bluegill cell line BF-2 and examined by electron microscopy in ultra-thin sections of cell cultures and in negative-contrast preparations from cells and from centrifuged culture medium. According to negative-contrast preparations, the icosahedral virions have an overall diameter close to but not exceeding 300 mμ. Delicate filaments seem to issue from the vertices. In collapsed virions, an ordered array of morphological units was seen. Positively contrasted virions in ultrathin sections show a shell with three dark (heavy metal-stained) layers alternating with and separated by two clear layers. The acquisition of an additional outer membrane during release from the cell, as found in African swine fever virus, was never seen. Morphologically, lymphocystis virus is considered to be closely related to Tipula iridescent virus.